Herbal Tea
by spandexmonkey
Summary: (one-shot) Raven and Beast Boy have a nice conversation. Well, I suppose.


Oh Lord. What possessed me, I don't know. Morning breakfast conversations are not my strong point. there are no warnings whatsoever, and anyone that thinks I own Teen Titans and related characters etc etc etc needs looking at.  
  
**************************  
  
In an area of the creepy looking stone cold room, currently habituated by the only half demonic member of the Teen Titan force, Raven sat curled up in a large chair, reading a book. The only sound in the room was the occasional page turning that came of the exercise; Ravens soft breathing was lost in the general quiet.  
  
While the outside world was busy, watching loud television, frying food, boiling kettles, and engaging in general mindless chit chat, Raven had managed, quite successfully, to keep all sound out of her residence. The stone walls and metallic door were noise proofed, for her mind stabilizing pleasure.  
  
Turning another page of the volume, Ravens eyes recognized familiar passages; this was a book she had read many times before. She told herself she was reading it again for educational purposes, and not because she liked the book.  
  
The repeated reading was simply to secure the spells and techniques the volume taught deep within her long-term memory, so that she would retain the knowledge more efficiently and therefore have learnt more with regards to her efforts. She repeated this to herself each time she re read the book, and had pretty much convinced herself.  
  
Half way down page 1305, a timid knock on the door was audible. The knock was just loud enough to have been noticed if she was doing something, but thankfully not so loud as to be jarring.  
  
Ravens eyes flitted up from the passage she was on, and she briefly wondered who would come knocking at her door. She considered that it might be Robin, come to inform her of a mission, or maybe training.  
  
Closing the book shut, she gracefully got out of the chair, and returned the book to its location on the large bookshelf occupying the entirety of one wall.  
  
Moving briskly, so as not to keep the knocker waiting, Raven walked to the door and slid it open.  
  
She blinked and immediately leashed, controlled and squashed any feelings at seeing not Robin, but Beast Boy, standing in the doorway, complete with ever-present grin on his face.  
  
"Hey Raven," He said, "You missed breakfast. Herbal tea."  
  
Beast Boy held out his hands, and Raven noticed that he was carrying a steaming mug of her herbal tea. She smiled, despite herself, and automatically squashed the feelings it brought. It wouldn't hurt to show gratitude, she reasoned, and allowed the smile to stay naturally.  
  
"Thanks," she said, accepting the tea and trying not to like the way that her and Beast Boys relationship had changed, ever since he and Cyborg had accidentally got stuck in her mind. They were definitely more understanding of each other, and she found that she was thinking of the two of them as actual friends, without even really thinking about it.  
  
Beast Boy pulled out a bag of potato chips from somewhere on his person, and started munching. Raven wrinkled up her nose almost imperceptibly.  
  
"You're eating potato chips for breakfast?" She asked, rhetorically.  
  
"Dude, I've had breakfast. This is. second breakfast," said Beast Boy, between crunches. He gave her a wide grin.  
  
Raven resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and instead (for the benefit of his health, she told herself) caused a black aura to light around the packet and threw them telepathically into a nearby bin.  
  
Beast Boy pouted. "Hey! That was my breakfast!"  
  
Raven wondered fleetingly if he being serious, or if he was just messing around with her. One thing she wasn't good at figuring out was when Beast Boy meant that he was offended, and when he was just pretending.  
  
"So, what else did you want apart from the tea?" Asked Raven. Suddenly, she realized how rude that had sounded, and was aware of minor burning across her cheeks. She hoped it wasn't visible to Beast Boy, and silently hoped that he didn't take offense.  
  
Turning her attention momentarily to the cup in her hands, she cast her eyes downward, letting her hair fall forward.  
  
"I was kinda wondering if we could talk, actually," said Beast Boy. His tone was serious, and Raven looked up to see him looking at her from under his brows, looking as young as she suddenly realized he was. As young as she remembered she was.  
  
Raven stared at him steadily for a minute, and drew in a breath. "Do you want to come in? Or is it the kind of thing we do out here?"  
  
Beast Boy had already been in her room. He had already been inside her head, so there was no point in having what might be a private conversation outside in the hallway when it would be more private behind a closed door.  
  
Beast Boy grinned at her, that had obviously been the response he had been pegging for.  
  
Raven smiled again, and turned and walked inside her room, taking care not to spill the tea.  
  
Beast Boy followed, and slid the door shut behind himself. Raven sat down on the rug on the floor near her reading chair, and Beast Boy followed suit.  
  
"What did you want to talk about?" Asked Raven, cross-legged, turning the mug about in her hands.  
  
"Um, well, see," Beast Boy looked around a little, as if looking in his head for the right words. Raven took a draught from the mug, holding it with both hands, as she waited. "I realized," said Beast Boy, "that I don't know anything about you. I mean at all, and I was thinking.." he trailed off, frowning slightly.  
  
"Have you still got that mirror?" Raven blinked.  
  
"You mean the meditation mirror?"  
  
Beast Boy nodded. "Then yes," said Raven, taking another mouthful of herbal tea.  
  
"So, who was that guy? I mean, when you said you had issues with your father."  
  
Raven looked down at the liquid in her cup, and forced herself to be stoic. "My father.. is a demon, and the angry side of my self." She swirled the liquid in her cup, and watched as it came up in waves against the sides.  
  
"That's.. dude." Raven looked up, and saw Beast Boy looking at her, with slight concern marring his features. "Is that why.." He looked down; she knew the look as him trying to imagine something. "Dude, that's awful!" Beast Boy's eyes went wide at his almost involuntary exclamation, and he clamped a hand down over his mouth. "Sorry!" He said, the word muffled through his palms.  
  
Raven blinked, she had never been in this kind of situation, and was fairly uncertain as to what were going to be the best things to say. "Why are you sorry?" She asked, swirling her tea again.  
  
"Because.. That's not nice. At least, I don't think that can be nice. Sorry if I'm poking a little at your personal life," he added, blushing slightly. "I guess Robin tried to tell me that I wasn't s'posed to understand you."  
  
"When did Robin say that?" Asked Raven, surprised.  
  
"Right before I came into your room the time I fell in your mirror," said Beast Boy, dolefully. "It was 'cus I'd been moaning to him that I didn't get you, and didn't understand how we were s'posed to be friends if I didn't know who you were."  
  
Raven took another sip of her tea. She swallowed, and set the cup down on the floor, still holding it with both hands.  
  
"I'm sorry then, for being.. Difficult," she said, though the words sounded foreign in her mouth.  
  
Beast Boy picked up on it, he looked alarmed.  
  
"No! Don't be! I'm just being nosey." He smiled, and Raven smiled back through the bangs that were still around her face.  
  
"I mean, it's fair enough if I don't know everything about you, but a little help now and again I guess makes it easier to know.. How to act around you, if you get what I mean."  
  
Ravens expression remained impartial, but she wondered what had compelled Beast Boy to take such an interest in the first place. Her friendship must really mean something to him, she thought, pondering it.  
  
She looked down at the tea. "I think you're doing pretty well," she said, bringing the tea up as evidence, and taking another sip. The strong smell wafted through her nostrils, and accentuated the flavor.  
  
Beast Boy grinned widely, obviously glad to be appreciated. He didn't say anything, and waited for her to finish her tea.  
  
*************************  
  
If anyone would review this, that would be GREAT. Thanks ^_^ 


End file.
